One of my favorite things about the Instant Pot is that it allows me to make really quick sides when making dinner. This 7-minute Instant Pot rice pilaf is SO quick and absolutely delicious. My picky kids love it (a big win in our house), my husband loves it and anytime we make it for guests, they love it as well.

Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

What Does it Go With

This Instant Pot rice pilaf goes well as a side with any kind of protein or as a base for a burrito or veggie bowl. In fact, if you're feeling dangerous, it's great by itself with a twist of lime and a sprinkle of Frank's red hot sauce. The great thing about this dish is that it's super quick so you can make it when all the dinner prep is done, so your whole meal is piping hot.

What Rice Do I Use

I've tried making this rice pilaf with a few different types of rice. It comes out the best if you make it with long grain Basmati rice and that's what I use to make this recipe. You can also make this exact recipe using parboiled rice, except you use a 1:1 ratio for rice:water and cook it for 10 minutes and let NPR for 10 minutes.

Broth or Water

While you can use water to make this Instant Pot Rice Pilaf, it tastes best with broth. Using chicken, beef or even seafood broth gives a delicious flavor to your rice. If you don't have broth, you can use a bouillon cube but keep in mind that it contains a ton of salt so you'd want to reduce the amount of salt you put in your rice.

Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

Without further ado, I present to you a video AND a printable recipe for the 7 Minute Instant Pot Rice Pilaf. If you end up making this, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts

Also- if you love this recipe, check out my Instant Pot Green Pea Pilau and Instant Pot Tahari recipes- both equally awesome ways to get dinner on the table quickly.

Please scroll down for the printable recipe.

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instant pot rice pilaf

7-Minute Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

This 7-minute Instant Pot rice pilaf is SO quick and absolutely delicious. It goes well as a side with any kind of protein or as a base for a burrito or veggie bowl, even on its own with a twist of lime and a sprinkle of Frank's Red hot sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Fried onions
  • 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder
  • 2 cups White Basmati Rice, rinsed thoroughly but not soaked
  • 2.5 cups Bone Broth, plain broth or water
  • 1 tbsp Chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Turn the Instant Pot on and set to Saute until display reads HOT. In the meantime, rinse the rice thorougly with cold water until water runs clear. Do NOT soak the rice as that will make it gummy
  • Add oil to the hot pot, followed by the fried onions and the ginger garlic paste. To prevent splatter, add a little bit of the broth to the pot and let the onions and ginger garlic cook for a few minutes
  • Add all the spices to the pot and mix well. Add the rice and the broth and mix, making sure to scrape down the sides for any stray rice.
  • Place the lid on the pot, lock and set it to cook for 7 minutes. *TIP: If you use hot water/broth, your pot comes to pressure much more quickly
  • Once the cycle is done and the Instant Pot goes into a Keep Warm mode (sayins L0:00) on the screen, QR. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro as garnish, and use it as a side for your favourite protein or as a base for a delicious and healthy burrito bowl.
  • Fall in love with this recipe and share it with everyone you know because it's just so amazing.